Now Yekaterinburg, an industrial city in the Ural mountains, has another landmark besides the church which marks the place where the last Russian tsar Nickolas the Second and his family were murdered, burned, cut into pieces and dropped in a mine. Now the city has its own Beatles monument. Why? No particular reason. They just love the Beatles.

The monument (recognizable steel-made shape of the band) took six years to produce and coordinate with the local government. There was a problem, apparently, because "The Beatles monument can discourage patriotism and shift the attention of the youth from the Russian culture," according to the authorities. (They probably reconsidered after McCartney played a gig on Read Square, next to the Mausoleum.)

We suspect the Yekaterinburg's newly-weds will enjoy the monument the most: making a traditional "monument-and-champagne-and-flowers" stop near the Beatles wall and chanting "All you need is love" is much more appropriate than the same near The-Church-on-Blood.

The Only Beatles Monument in Russia is unveiled toda[Beatles.ru (in Russian)]

Photo via www.ebeatles.alfamoon.com